Nail-extractor.



L MAURICE NAIL EXTRACTDR.

(Apphcntlon led Oct 2 1899) (No Model.)

wh/Lamas UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS MAURICE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. A

NAI L-EXTRACTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,956, dated October 2, 1900.

Application filed October 2I 1899. Serial No. 732,322. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs MAURICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nail-Fullers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device for withdrawing nails which have been driven into wood, and is especially adapted to pulling nails which have been used to fasten 'down shingles on a roof where the head of the nail is normally covered by a portion of the shingle, which is superimposed upon the shingle through which the nail is driven. In the repairing of shingle roofs it becomes necessary to withdraw split, rotten, or otherwise damaged shingles and insert new ones in their place, and in doing this it isimportaiit to remove the nails, as otherwise their heads would project above the lower shingle and tend to split the new shingle when placed in position. The removing of these nails has heretofore been attended with great difoulty, owing to the fact that as a rule their heads are covered by another shingle in the next course, and it has been almost impossible to get at them with any known tool or device withoutJ rais. ing the covering-shingle so inuch as to cause it to break. To meet these diiculties, I have devised a tool which is preferably made of a thin iiat bar of steel, in the edges of which are openings which are adapted to engage the nails as the tool is withdrawn from between the shingles, and thus pull the nails from their sockets.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention as follows:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention. Fig. 2 is an edge View or side elevation of the saine. Fig. 3 shows the manner of operating or applying my invention.

Referring tothe drawings, A represents the main or body portion of my improved tool, which is preferably made of a bar of steel having substantially-flat faces and with edges having a slight taper from the rear toward the point of the device, the latter being somewhat rounded, as shown. In the edges of the tool arev out V-shaped openings a a, the sides of which incline toward the point of the tool from the widest portion of the openings. I have shown these openings with straight edges; but it is apparent they may be made with beveled edges, if desired.

- Connected with the portion A is a handle B, of suitable shape to be grasped by the hand and preferably made from the same piece of metal with the body portion, said metal bar being bent up at an angle to form a connecting-neck b, and at the junction of said neck and handle having a flattened portion c, which may be conveniently used for driving nails, when so used the body portion serving as a handle.

Though I have shown the portion A of uniform thickness, it is apparent that the two faces may gradually taper toward the point, and that other modifications may be made in the shape or form of the tool without departing from the principles embodied in myinvention.

In operation the tool isinserted between the shingle above which the nail-head protrudes and the shingle next above same and pushed along until one or more of the openings a, a, pass said nail. Then the tool is pulled backwardly and with one of its edges against the nail until the latter is engaged by one of the notches or openings, when by continuing the pull the nail will be withdrawn from the shingle and board through which it has passed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to obtain by Letters Patent, is-

1. A nail-puller consisting of a bar of iiat metal having V-shaped notches in its edges, and provided with a handle raised above the body portion of the puller.

2. A nail-puller consistingoi a bar of lat metal having V-shaped 4notches in its edges, having a handle raised above the plane of the body portion, and having a portion of the handle adapted to be used as a hammer.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS MAURICE.

l/Vitn esses F. BENJAMIN, LoUIs CHASE. 

